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December 3, 2011

Ortiz Looking For Four More Years

Free agent DH David Ortiz mentioned the contracts that Adam Dunn (White Sox 4/56) and Victor Martinez (Tigers, 4/50) signed last winter as the type of long-term security he would like from the Red Sox.

"Those guys are DHs like I am, let's be honest. To be honest with you, look at what I did. I don't think I can put myself out of that group. ... Do I have to explain what I'm capable of doing? Everybody already knows. I'm not even going to go there. We just need to get into an agreement and when that happens, it's game on. Everybody knows what it would take for me to stick around. Hopefully, [the Red Sox] agree with that."

There is the matter of age, however. Both Dunn and Martinez were 31 years old when they got those deals. Flo is 36 - though he led all DHs last season with a .953 OPS (nearly 100 points higher than #2 Michael young).

Ortiz has reportedly received multiple offers already. The Orioles - who signed 36-year-old DH Vladimir Guerrero to a 1/8 deal last year - and Blue Jays reportedly have an interest in Ortiz. While Ortiz is simply establishing a bargaining position, things could still get "interesting", as I don't see any way Boston goes more than two years. Ortiz has until Wednesday night at midnight to accept or reject the club's offer of arbitration.

I've said more than a thousand times that I would like to come back to Boston. If that doesn't work, I need to see what is out there. ... We can be dangerous again. We're capable of great things on the field. I'm not part of it right now, but I want to be.